August 4, 2010 — Amigos Library Services has unveiled enhancements to its longtime fellowship program that seek to inspire member library creativity and innovation. By funding a wider range of projects, the expanded program – now known as the Amigos Fellowship and Opportunity Award – will appeal to member libraries in greater numbers. With the newly published guidelines, Amigos hopes to foster more competition for funds and address member requests for greater clarity of purpose and flexibility in use of the funds.
Amigos Senior Operations Manager Laura Kimberly commented on the organization’s hopes for the enhanced fellowship program. “We will be looking for libraries of all types to be as creative as possible in their proposals. We want to put funding out there that will significantly impact member libraries, librarians, and the communities they serve. To that end, we will encourage proposals that stress innovation, cooperation, leadership, and education within libraries, their communities, and the library profession. The revised guidelines, with the addition of the Opportunity Award component, open up the fellowship award program to more members and will hopefully encourage innovative thinking in their proposals, ultimately benefiting all Amigos members.”
The program is a continuation of the Amigos Fellowship Program established by the Amigos Board of Directors in 1990. Over its 20-year history, member-involved selection committees have awarded over $80,000 to foster research and development of resource sharing capabilities among Amigos member libraries. With the program’s expansion, selection committees will give greater consideration to projects marked by innovation and development of new library services.
Amigos Fellowship and Opportunity Award funds will be awarded to one or more projects per year through a competitive selection process. Project proposals may be submitted by an Amigos member library or an individual librarian at an Amigos member library. Final applications for 2011 Amigos Fellowship and Opportunity Awards are due March 1, 2011. Amigos strongly encourages applicants to submit their proposals for preliminary review. The deadline for submitting a draft for preliminary review is January 20, 2011. Amigos has scheduled an online information session for September 20, 2010.
For complete Amigos Fellowship and Opportunity Award details, go to Guidelines for Application.
About Amigos Library Services
For more than 35 years, Amigos Library Services has helped its members obtain affordable services and share library resources and knowledge. With over 600 members, Amigos is one of the largest consortia of libraries and cultural heritage institutions in the United States. Through membership in Amigos, libraries collectively gain access to the latest innovations and services in the library community; pursue opportunities for continuing professional education; leverage their buying power; and preserve the region’s rich cultural heritage. This collaboration strengthens each member’s ability to serve and lead its community in the creative and effective use of information resources. ###